Written by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet with Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
When most Imperial students picture Silwood Park, they think of a vibrant, enchanting, green campus overflowing with flora and fauna not typically found at other campuses such as South Kensington or White City. In many ways, they’re spot on – every portrayal of Silwood Park rings true!
As a member of this lesser-known segment of Imperial, I aim to showcase the student experience, activities, and community at our natural parkland campus located in Ascot, Berkshire.
Presenting Silwood Park
Silwood Park serves as Imperial’s open-air laboratory, covering 77 hectares and featuring habitats such as freshwater streams, lakes, an “ancient” forest, and expansive grasslands. A quick inquiry on iNaturalist, a platform for mapping and sharing biodiversity observations globally within a community of naturalists, indicates that 1,436 species of plants, animals, and fungi have been recorded on campus, and a further investigation on eBird reveals that 111 bird species have been noted there thus far.
Interestingly, Silwood Park is home to numerous long-term field research initiatives, with the Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project being among the more prominent studies carried out on the premises.
Life as a Student at Silwood Park
The campus mainly houses postgraduate students who are keen on ecology, conservation, and evolutionary studies. Many of us take part in several clubs based at Silwood Park. Some notable examples include:
- Chicken Club – tending to the chickens located behind our residence halls
- Book Club – meeting regularly to discuss engaging literature
- Gardening Club – overseeing the allotments in our local community garden
- Conservation Club – organizing nature walks and conservation-focused activities for Silwood Park students.
Being part of the wider Imperial student body, many of us also engage and actively participate in activities offered by clubs in South Kensington!
Casually, we have clubs involved in sports such as badminton, basketball, and pickleball (my personal favorite!), either operating on the multi-use games arena (MUGA) on campus or at indoor sports facilities in neighboring towns like Bracknell or Ascot.
In addition to club activities and classes, numerous community-led events take place on campus. Silwood Park has its own student council responsible for organizing and facilitating these events, ensuring a lively and dynamic student life! Recently, we’ve hosted the Silwood language exchange, where our primarily international community shared languages and cultures over a series of weeks, along with our annual Chinese New Year celebration at the beginning of the year, where everyone came together to prepare dumplings and couplets to usher in the new lunar year. Community-organized parties have also celebrated global holidays (like Carnival) or simply embraced the joy of festivities.
However, my favorite campus event has to be the weekly pub quiz, which our student community organizes. It’s part of Silwood culture that the losers of the pub quiz must arrange the next one, and I can proudly assert that I’ve set the most pub quizzes this year. Despite my repeated losses due to my limited trivia knowledge, the good company and a nice pint of beer always ensure a delightful time.
Silwood Park: My Second Home
Even though it’s a 30-minute walk from the lively atmosphere of civilization (like the train station and the nearest village), life at Silwood Park has never been boring or uninteresting. Alongside the multitude of events and activities, we enjoy a friendly and inviting community made up of students from around the globe. We all appreciate nature, value our stunning campus grounds, and, more significantly, enjoy each other’s presence. We’re a tight-knit community that relishes stargazing in the chilly winter on the open field beside our bar, observing the birds and mammals that visit our windows, and engaging in